All Fun and Games Until
by where's-waldo-15
Summary: Neal plays WAY too many pranks at school, and Peter doesn't know what to do about it, especially when Mozzie gets into the picture... Maybe a one-shot, maybe more...let me know what YOU think!
1. Chapter 1

"Neal, this is getting ridiculous."

At the words from behind him, Neal slouched down even further in his seat, arms crossed in teenage defiance. He stared at the name plate sitting on the principal's desk - _C. Mozart Cunningham, Ph.D. _- and wondered who had ratted him out.

"Neal, are you even _listening _to me? _What _were you thinking?"

Neal shrugged, and Principal C said, "Neal, you're lucky no one was hurt, but you really need to be more careful in the future and not do things that put others in danger. Do you understand?"

Neal shrugged again, and then his dad, growing increasingly frustrated at Neal's responses, moved around Neal's chair so that he was standing in front of the troublesome teen.

"Neal, do you even understand how serious this is?" he demanded. "You don't even have your _permit _yet - how do you even know how to drive, much less somehow get the car on top of the water fountain?"

At this, Neal didn't even acknowledge that he'd spoken, staring down at his hands folded in his lap.

Principal C decided to try a different tactic, saying, "Neal. Buddy. We're not trying to attack you, but you could have seriously injured yourself and others in your little prank. That's not something we turn a blind eye to at this school."

Still Neal made no response, so his dad said, "Neal, you know that this can't go unpunished. But if you tell us how you did it, I'm sure your punishment will be much lighter."

Neal finally looked up at his father, and then said evenly, "Peter, although you're a cop, I'm a cop's son...and I know how to stay silent during a good cop-bad cop interrogation."

Peter wiped a hand over his face and said, "God, Neal - is _that _what you think this is? An _interrogation_?"

"Truth is, Neal," the principal said with a quirky smile, "_I _personally don't give a damn what you did with my car. I really don't care that it's waterlogged and I'll have to get a new one. I don't even care that you broke into my car and hot-wired it, or that you got it to the top of the water fountain with water spilling out of the headlights in the middle of the night.

"What _I _want to know is _how _you managed to do it. I mean, that was easily fifteen feet off the ground. How were you able to _do _that? I mean, there's no place to drive _above _it, and - "

"Carl, you're _not _helping," Peter said in exasperation. He looked at Neal again. "Neal, seriously. This pranking business of yours is becoming an issue. What's your reason for all of this? Do you want attention - is _that _it? Do you just not _care_?"

Neal rolled his eyes. "No, Peter - I _don't _care. I don't care that you care because I haven't got a care, and even if whoever cares decides not to care, I _still _won't care, even if _you _care."

"Then I'm afraid you'll have to be suspended for two weeks," Principal C said regretfully. He really did like the kid. "And then you've got two days of Saturday school to make up the stuff you lost."

Neal shrugged his shoulders. "Fine. Can I go now?"

Then, without waiting for a response, he stood up and walked out.

Peter sighed as he watched Neal walk out of the office. He turned to his friend and said, "What is going with that kid?"

The principal shrugged as he adjusted one of his paper weights to be perfectly straight. "'The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most precious flower.'" he quoted.

Peter rolled his eyes. "Carl, I haven't got time for your quotes or proverbs or whatever the hell they're called. What am I supposed to do about Neal?"

"Watch him. Help him. Be involved. Don't be so quick to judge. Lighten up a little. He's at that rebellious stage in his life, and because he's adopted, that's going to be one of those things that he subconsciously thinks about all the time, putting that rebellious streak into him. I'm not saying that _all _adopted kids are like that, but knowing Neal, that's probably one of the main things to this rebellion. This is...what? The third 'prank' this month? I'd say in his two-week suspension, you should take some time off work and be with him for a lot of it."

"Don't tell me you're a _psychiatrist_, too." Peter sighed, though a corner of his mouth twitched like he was fighting a smile.

The principal smiled secretively up at his friend. "You can check my University of Phoenix online degree." he waved a fist in the air. "Go Cardinals."

**~WC~**

**So...you guys want me to continue? Does this look promising so far? If I do continue, I'm not sure where I'd go with it; I just know that I want Neal to be in some sort of trouble at school or whatever...so please, give me some ideas! :)**


	2. AN: PLEASE READ!

**Okay...so I decided I would put this up as complete, because I really don't know where I want to go with this, and when I don't know, it's best not to continue, otherwise the story isn't as good as it could've been if I KNEW what I wanted to happen from the beginning...but I don't. Unless someone gave me a REALLY good idea that I can't RESIST but write more, this will stay a light-hearted little one-shot. Sorry for all of you out there who were hoping for more, or maybe got excited when you got an e-mail about a new chapter and you just get me...:(**

**Anyway, if you REALLY want more, give me an idea to work with! (Or several that I can pick from, because I'm a picky person.) Even telling me what you THOUGHT was going to happen when you read the first chapter could instigate an idea in me... I feel terrible for giving this such a horrible end, but there's really nothing I can do about it - my brain is blank.**

**Again, so sorry!**

**- where's-waldo-15**


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